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Choosing a University

Choosing a University

Choosing your university can be a daunting task when there are over 150 of them offering over 40,000 courses. Naturally you want to make the right decision that will lead to a great career doing something you love, not to mention making lifelong friends.

Choose yourself first:
Think about what you are going to do at Uni and why. When the going gets tough you’ll need to stay motivated which will be extra hard if you’re only studying something your Dad wanted you to do.

Consider the location. Do you want somewhere quiet on campus? Or be in a more busy environment?

Prepare for research:
It sounds dull but your future depends on you doing some hefty research. Once you have looked at the most suitable courses, visited as many university’s as you can and talked it through with family, friends and advisors you can fill out your UCAS application knowing you have made a fully informed decision.

Go to as many open days as you possibly can or even better see if you can arrange to go on a different day to get a more realistic feel for the place and the people. Talk to the staff and other students. If you’re going to be there for 3 years make sure you know what you’re walking into.

This is all great experience as you will need to carry out due diligence on things for the rest of your life; taking out a mortgage, moving, getting a job, travelling etc etc.

Ask questions:
Course details might vary from uni to uni so really look into the curriculum carefully. You might be able to combine courses and there could be options that you hadn’t thought of. Ask about teaching, how many hours you’ll be seeing your personal tutor.

What are the course’s employability ratings? Are there internships and work placements?